“Man’s Best Friend” – Feminist or Flop

Nora Geoghegan

Staff Writer

Welcome to the first edition of politics and pop culture! This column aims to analyze the relationship between politics and pop culture and how it impacts us and society. The Greek Statesman Pericles best sums up this relationship by stating, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you”. Politics submits its influence on us through the digestible realm of pop culture! This edition aims to discuss Sabrina Carpenter’s album, “Man’s Best Friend”, and the connotations of feminism associated with it.

Sabrina Carpenter released her seventh studio album on Aug. 29 of this year. Many listeners and fans of Carpenter were upset with the cover art of the album, as well as the perspective Carpenter took on this record.

Many saw the cover art as demeaning to women as it features Carpenter on her hands and knees with a man grabbing her hair, mimicking an owner holding their dog by a leash, and perpetuating the idea that women are b******. Many people online have stated how they feel the album is an appeal to the male gaze and tailors itself to misogynistic stereotypes. Others have gone as far as saying that it glorifies domestic violence and degradation given the fact that the cover appears to have Carpenter submitting her autonomy to a man. Staff Writer Colleen Finn had this to say about the album, “I’m just disappointed that she didn’t subvert the message that the album cover appears to promote”. She continues, “She has this history of making fun of men in her lyrics and killing men in her music videos, so I expected the same from the album and felt disappointed.”

Others felt the cover is simply a more creative and direct approach to address society’s treatment of women. Others feel it is a representation of how the media portrays Carpenter, and women in general. Carpenter herself has stated it is a metaphor for women being in control of their lives, and that the controversy doesn’t bother her so much. The album is also seen as a way for women to claim a positive relationship with sex and regain power, hence the nature of the album and the cover art.

Given the current political climate, it is understandable that many feel the album has been a setback for women’s rights and autonomy. However, it is also understandable that the album takes traditional women’s roles and creates a message of female power through a satirical lens. Perhaps this was a way for a deeper political discussion of women’s rights to occur through art, especially a prominent artist like Sabrina Carpenter.

“Man’s Best Friend” is an ongoing example of the discussion of traditional wife tropes in culture and politics.